Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles



May 12, 1931. R. w VOIGT 1,805,119

APPARATUS FOR COMBINING HORIZONTAL LAYERS OF ARTICLES Filed May 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 4

eimr- 4 M9 May 12, 1931. I w, vo I 1,805,119

APPARATUS FOR COMBINING HORIZONTAL LAYERS OF ARTICLES Filed May 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

May 12, 1931. R. w.- VOIGT 1,805,119

APPARATUS FOR COMBINING HORIZONTAL LAYERS 0F ARTICLES Filed May 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 12, 1931 UNETEED s'ra'rss PATENT- OFFICE ROBERT WILHELM VOIGT, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASS IGNOR TO THE FIRM UNI-'- VERSELLE CIGARETTENMASCHIHEN-FABRIK J. O. MilLLEB' & 60., OE IDR/E'SDEN,

GERMANY APPARATUS FOR COMBINING HORIZONTAL LAYERS 01? ARTICLES Application filed May 21, 1929, Serial No.

Methods and means have already been suggested forcombining paper sheets or the like with horizontal layers of articles, for example, one or more groups of cigarettes. The problem is to feed the paper blank beneath the layer or to feedthe layer of articles on to the paper blank or to feed the paper blank between two layers.

The invention deals with this problem and consists in this that the paper blanks are delivered on to a vertically movable support which is raised-to the level of the bottom of the feed track of the articles whereupon the articles fed forwards are fed with their forward ends over the support whereupon in known manner a pusher resting on the bottom of the feed track feeds forwards the articles together with the paper blank.

In this way the paper blank is first laid flat on a'separate support and then the articles are fed onto the blank without the need for interposed blade springs or the like in order to prevent the ends of the articles from striking theb'lank.

The invention may be carried out in various ways. For example, the blanks can be fed from above at an inclination in the directi'on opposite that of feed of the articles and against a projection released by the support in its lowest position, such projection resting against the part of the guide track located in front ofthe' support and then after release from the feed means sinking down on the support, means being provided, if desired, to accelerate this downward movement.

Y The invention in known manner permits of cutting on? the blank from a continuous strip of paper but is equally applicable when ,theblanks are removed from a pile by a pusher.

The support is preferably formed as a tilting table, the pivot of which lyingtransversely of the direction of feed of the articles holds the end of the table at the level of the bottom of the feed track, while the end of the. table facing the articles arriving and disposed beneath the level of the bottom of the feed track is raised by mechanical means, for example, a cam disc or the like, at the proper moment in such manner that the sur- 364332, and in Germany March 2, 1928.

face of the table lies flush with the bottom the feed track for the articles.

Several constructions 111 accordance with the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows one embodiment in side elevation partly in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment also in side elevation partly in longitudinal section. Figs. 3, 4t and 5 illustrate blade 4. The paper strip 2 is led over the guide rollers 5 and 6 between which is interposed a ten'sioning device which conslsts of arock lever 7 suitably operated carrylng at its end a guide roller 8 over which the paper 7 strip runs. The rock lever 7 forms by its movement a loop of paper between the guide rollers 5 and 6 from which the feed rollers 9 and 10 draw the paper on the return movement of the lever into the position shown in dotted lines. The feed rollers rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows. These rollers are driven from the main shaft 11 through the train of gearing 12, 13, 14 and the gear ratio is such that a piece of the paper strip is pushed between the blades 3 and 4 each time a length corresponding to the blank to be cut is fed. A blank Z is indicated by the dotted line at the moment it is about to be cut off and as the blades 3, 4 are in an inclined position close to the vertical the forward end of the paper strip fed by the knife, falls. At the moment the blank is severed by the blade 3 the forward end of the cut blank Z bears against a stop 15 which is formed by a down turned portion 16 of the horizontal base 17 of the feed track, on which the articles (a group of cigarettes in the embodiment shown) are fed forwards by a plunger 18 in the direction of the arrow. This plunger rests on the bottom 17 of the guide track which is provided with a cover 19. The cover is bent up towards the blades 3, 4 at 20 for guiding purposes.

As soon as the blank is severed by the knife 3, 4 and with its forward edge strikes the stop 15, it falls on to the table 21, and finally passes into the position indicated in full lines. This downward movement can be accelerated by suitable means, for example an intermittently acting stream of compressed air blown from above on the blank severed by the knives 3, 4.

The table surface 21 can be tilted about the horizontal axis of rotation 22, which lies transversely of the direction of feed of the articles and is so arranged that the end of the table located adjacent the axis 22 is at the level of the bottom 17 of the feed track. The forward end X of the table 21 is inclined downwardly. Adjacent this end and beneath the table is provided a bracket carrying a roller 23 which co-0perates with a cam disc 24, the cam 25 of which at the proper moment raises the table against the action of a spring 26 in such manner that the table surface comes flush with the bottom 17 of the feed track for the articles. The cam disc 24 is rotated from the main shaft 11 through the train of gearing. 27, 28.

The table surface is raised only after the plunger 18 has moved the articles forwards into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which the forward ends of the articles are already over the inclined end of the table surface so that the front ends of the articles cannot collide with the blank resting on the table.

When the table surface 21 is raised the plunger 18 moves forwards in the direction of the arrow. Since it slides over the bottom of the guide surface it moves the blank Z with it and feeds the blank with the layer of articles thereon into the channel 29. In the embodiment shown, the bottom of this channel terminates over a second layer of articles which is located in a parallel channel 30 beneath the channel 29. The pusher 18 is connected with a pusher 31 acting beneath the bottom 17 so that on this part 31 of the pusher contacting with the articles in the channel 30 both layers are moved forwards and the two layers with the paper blank between them are fed into the part 32 of the channel. The problem is thereby solved.

Obviously, a number of pushers one behind the other are arranged for example on an endless band so as to operate continuously without retracting the pushers.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the blanks already prepared are located in piles in a holder 33. The lowermost sheet of the pile is withdrawn by a slide 34 having a lug 35. This slide slides in a guide 36 secured to the holder 33. On a bracket 37 secured to the bottom of the slide there is provided on the spindle 38 a roller 39 which is held by the forked end 40 of an operating lever 41. The

lever 41 rocking about pivot 42 is actuated by the cam disc 43, the arm 44 of the lever engaging by means of a roller 45 in the cam groove 46 on the cam disc 43.

The slide 34 moves into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. hen it completes its working stroke it slides the blank resting thereon towards the stop 15, already referred to, on the bottom 17 of the feed track for the layer of articles. The slide moves back and the blank falls on the table 21 which is operated in the same manner as that described with reference to Fig. 1.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 the blanks are here also disposed in a vertical pile in a holder The lowermost sheet is here again withdrawn by means of a slide 34. This slide is moved horizontally and transversely of the direction of feed of the layer, its lug 35 gripping the lowermost sheet of the pile. The slide is moved by the lever 41 which engages bymeans of a link 47 with the pivot 38 of the bracket 37 extending from the bottom of the slide.

The lever 41 is operated from the cam disc 43 b T means of the roller 45 and cam 46.

Tie part of the slide on which the blank rests, is formed as a tilting table 21 hingeing about the pivot 22 as shown in Fig. 4. The tilting table is in this instance also inclined to the bottom 17 of the feed track and its end rests adjacent the stop 48. The spring 26 engaging the supporting table 21 is secured to the slide 34 so that by this spring the tilting table 21 provided in a recess in the slide is held in the position shown in Fig. 4.

lVhen-the slide 34 reaches the feed track for the layer of articles the table 21 is raised by the cam disc 24 which co-operates with the roller 23. The cam disc 24 is turned in this instance from the main shaft 11 by a chain 49. The tilting table is raised in this case also only after the plunger 18 has fed the layer of articles with their forward ends a part of the way into the path of the table 21.

I claim,

1. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles, such as cigarettes fed along a feed track, with a paper blank or the like, comprising means for depositing the paper blank on a support, means for moving the support vertically to the level of the feed track and means for pushing the articles forwards together with the blank.

2. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles, such as cigarettes fed along a feed track with a paper blank or the like, comprising means for feeding the blank to a support and in the opposite direction to the feed of the articles, means for moving the support to the level of the feed track and means for pushing the articles forwards with the blank.

3. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles such as cigarettes from a feed track with a paper blank or the like including in combination with a feed track for the articles a support for the blanks, said support formed as a tilting table tiltable transversely of the direction of feed of the articles and means for raising the free end of the table at the proper moment so as to bring the surface of the table flush with the feed track for the articles.

4. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles such as cigarettes fed along a feed track with a paper blank or the like including in combination with a feed track for the articles a pusher for feeding the blanks, a support for the blanks, said support formed as a tilting table and means for raising the free end of the table in such manner as to bring the surface of the table flush with the feed track.

5. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles such as cigarettes fed along a feed track with a paper blank or the like including in combination with a feed track for the articles a pusher for feeding the blanks, sald pusher movable horizontally in the feed track and transversely of the direction of feed, said pusher itself being inclined in relation to the feed track and formed as a tilting table and means for raising the table to the level of the feed track.

6. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles with an insert between the said layers including in combination with the feeding means for said articles, supporting means for said inserts, said latter normally adapted to be below the level of said feeding means and means for moving said supporting element to the level of said feeding means after said articles have been partially pushed over said insert whereby said insert will be fed forwardly with said articles.

7. Apparatus for combining horizontal layers of articles-with an insert between said layers including in combination with the feeding means for said articles, supporting means for said inserts normally adapted to be below the level of said feeding means and means for causing said articles and insert to be fed forwardly together after said articles have been pushed thereon.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

ROBERT WILHELM VOIGT. 

